It’s the beginning of a brand new year and let me first of all start by saying to all my wonderful readers out there; WELCOME 2022! I really pray and hope that this year brings into our hearts and our homes all of the great and wonderful promises it holds for us all.
It’s that time of the year again. That time when we get to challenge ourselves to be better versions of who we are. To adopt new healthy habits, quit unhealthy ones and make other changes towards the fulfilment of a goal or desire we’re working towards in our lives. For some people it’s difficult, for some others it’s very difficult but I bet you that making lifelong changes is not an easy task for anybody; at least not that I know of.
We all have habits, whether good ones or bad ones. Habits are those things you do without thinking about them and which have become part of our daily lives. Making changes to them can be one of the most challenging and difficult things for anyone to do. Whether you are trying to exercise more, eat healthier, sleep better, have a more positive attitude towards life, lose weight, spend more time with loved ones or spend more time taking care of yourself, it takes a lot of courage to make these changes and stick with them no matter the difficulty. Therefore, our goal should not only be to create healthy habits, but also to have them become so automatic to us that they live in our subconscious mind.
At this point, I’d like to quickly mention that learning and adopting new healthy, positive habits are one of the biggest assets anyone can have when it comes to being successful. People who are successful in this world are those who have managed to develop and maintain the right habits for long periods. They don’t necessarily think about the things they do that make them successful, they just get up every morning and do them which of course gives them the results that they want in the long run.
Developing new healthy habits helps you to change your mindset from a negative self-destructive one to one which is ready to achieve success. Oftentimes, we may fall off the bandwagon and revert to our old way of doing things, this should be expected and you should prepare your mind for it so that you do not give up whenever it happens. Realize that you are on a journey to be a better you and knowing this helps you to remember that each moment of every day is a new opportunity to get back to those new healthy habits that support your core values.
It is important to note that whenever we wish to create lasting change in our lives, we are essentially choosing to change habits that are taking place on an unconscious level. This therefore means that it should be a gradual process that would require us to slow down and become mindful of what we are doing in order to achieve the change we wish to see.
Most times in our lives, we tend to be very busy. Running here and there trying to tick every item on our to-do list for the day. While we’re in this state, we tend to throw self-awareness out the window and fall into our unconscious states where all our habits occur, including those we may want to change. Initiating and implementing new, healthy habits requires slowing down and becoming self-aware. It also requires lots of practice, consistency and an attitude of being kind towards yourself for those times when you wander off and revert to the old habits.
We must realize that we’ve been practicing these old habits for a very long time and so the resolve to want to change them isn’t enough. We must back them up with consistent action over extended periods before they sink into our subconscious and become part of our new habits.
How I would have loved to give you three simple steps you can quickly adapt to change old habits and imbibe new ones, unfortunately, I wouldn’t be real with you if I tried to make it sound very easy. Changing ourselves for the better is one of the most courageous and difficult things we can get to do in our lives. However, if I’m to summarize the key ingredients for change into three simple action points it would be;
1. Make sure you’re self-aware and very intentional about the changes you want to make.
2. Be in it for the long haul and practice consistently every day until the new habit sinks into your subconscious mind
3. Lastly, don’t beat yourself up whenever you fall off for a bit. Have a truckload of self-compassion for those times when you fail but ensure you’re not making excuses for yourself and that you get back on track quickly and with a greater resolve not to fall off again.
Be kind to yourself.
As you courageously attempt to create new healthy habits for yourself, treat yourself like you would treat someone you love very dearly.
You deserve to be the best version of yourself for tomorrow without losing the better version that you are today
With Love and gratitude as always, Xo!
Would you like to get more support as you begin your journey towards achieving a better you today? You can start by getting a copy of my recently released eBook. “How to Start from Zero” and discover so many other ideas you can adapt to help you get started on this journey.
“How to Start from Zero” contains lots of ideas and secrets amongst other health tips that are very practical, relatable, and realistic. This eBook will show you how to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and get rid of the bad ones faster and with greater ease than you’d expect.
Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.